Replacing fuel-wood with bio gas fuel provides an important tool in the efforts to mitigate climate
change. Not only does it reduce the production of harmful CO2 and its negative impact on health, but
also helps avoid deforestation.
In a community with 1000 plants, 5 tonnes of waste that would otherwise end up in landfills can be
avoided daily. Further, each plant directly avoids emission of approximately 1500 kg a year of carbon
dioxide equivalent methane through anaerobic digestion. Installation of 1000 such plants in a
community has a potential to reduce 1500 tonnes a year of methane emissions in urban land-fills.
There are further savings from the reduction of methane produced from the uncontrolled decomposition
Urban-poor areas are surrounded by waste dumps, which generate harmful gases and help spread
diseases. Usage of waste from these dumps in biogas plants will reduce the open decaying, help clean
the areas and provide a health and clean environment.
Improved access to fuel and reduction in the time spent on collection of firewood.
Improvement in hygiene and reductions in diseases as a result of latrines that are part of the biogas
The activity has been designed to be sustainable and scalable. Biogas plants that the activity promotes
are pre-fabricated, readily available and affordable. Initial funds have been raised to provide the
biogas plants at no cost to individuals who commit to continuous operation of the plant. The by-product
effluent generated by the biogas plant will be collected by the NGO partner and will be sold for
organic farming to generate additional funds. These additional funds will complement the outside
funding to sponsor additional plants. The activity is currently at its beginning. It is believed that
word-of-mouth will encourage adoption of biogas plants at a transformational scale once a tipping point
of 10-15 plants per community is reached. The model will promote the local processing of the
biodegradable waste and hence will reduce the pressure on landfills.